Web hosting is an essential element of the modern Internet infrastructure, and that is why you should get acquainted with this segment as much as possible. Whenever you want to build or set up a new site, web hosting will be there as an obligatory requirement. However, web hosting comes in all shapes and sizes, and providers of these services are offering different packages and hosting types. Here are the most common methods of web hosting.

Shared Web Hosting

This model of hosting is often compared to an apartment building where several hundred (or even thousands) of users are located on the same server. They all have access to the same resources, such as RAM memory or CPU, and they also share all the expenses, which makes shared hosting extremely affordable. However, some neighbors may become more popular than others, which sometimes causes congestion and problems for everyone else “in the building,” and that is why shared hosting is not an ideal hosting type.

VPS

Virtual Private Server is the next step when it comes to pricing in the web hosting world, and this method is probably the most popular hosting in the current market. Because of its characteristics, VPS is used by individuals and corporations alike. With this model, you will have access to an allocated space on a shared physical server, and your share of RAM and CPU will be guaranteed.

Cloud-based Hosting

Cloud technology is becoming more and more powerful, and this system is now being used in the web hosting sector. Hundreds of users are usually grouped together in this model as well, but due to superior performances of cloud-based infrastructure – everything is much faster and more reliable than with shared hosting. Cloud-based hosting is still finding its way in the market, but this model is certainly a force to be reckoned with, and it is evident that cloud technology is here to stay.

Dedicated Web Hosting

If shared hosting resembles living in an apartment building, then dedicated hosting will feel is if you will have a house all to yourself. In other words, the server will be entirely at your disposal, and all the resources will be used for powering your websites. Of course, all these benefits come with a price, and that is why dedicated web hosting is the most expensive model of them all. However, you gain full control of the server, and you eliminate the problems that may come along with having bad neighbors.

Free Web Hosting

In case all of these options are too expensive for your needs, you could turn to free hosting as a viable solution. This model is usually used for people who want to build websites “for fun,” and various “issues” will plague your virtual presentation – slow connection speed, frequent downtime of your site, advertising banners displayed without your interference, and so on. But, you will still have a functional site free of charge, and that is why people sometimes opt for this web hosting model.